


The Black Paladins

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:34:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24211438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: When Princess Allura of Altea chose Takashi shirogane of earth, she was sure the Black Lion would agree.Unfortunately, the Black Lion wanted more than one Paladin this time around.
Relationships: Takashi Shirogane/OC





	The Black Paladins

**Author's Note:**

> Ah shit, here we go again. 
> 
> (It helps if you watch The following episodes recently or if you’re like me, while reading the fic. 
> 
> Some assembly required and The Gladiator)

Teamwork took a lot of work. It went without saying, but thankfully, two leaders were better than one. 

However, taking on Corans Paladin lunch seemed to be the most gruesome task possible. And though Arty considered herself a risk taker and loved to try new things, whatever was on the plate seemed...Diabolical. 

“It’s good for your growing Paladin muscles and will strengthen your stomach!” Coran insisted. 

Though Arty could eat everyone under the table, she too, stepped faaaar back from that. 

Decidedly, they all disbanded so Coran wouldn’t feed them any weird space gruel.

—-

Arty was currently staring at the black lion, still amazed that it opened its door for her as if she was Shiro. And that she had her own seat within. None of the other Paladins could pilot the damn thing, they’d tried. They even tried, at Arty suggestion, to try and pilot a lion closer to their personality. 

Hunk and pidges trial had been hopeful, Hunk had the same brilliance Pidge did. But the green lion was not accommodating anyone besides said little genius. 

Arty kept dwelling on the switch trial as she picked up a bucket and strapped a scrubber to her back before starting to climb her and shiros lion. The lenses of the eyes needed a good cleaning and she assumed the lion would appreciate the effort. 

Keith and lance had of course, butted heads at the mere idea of having a different lion. Passion connected the two of them, like pidge and hunks brilliance. As the outreaching limbs of voltron, contagious passion would be needed. 

What linked her and Shiro though? Or rather what did the black lion see in both of them to find them equally worthy. 

She had the foresight to hook a hose to her waist and used it to fill a bucket while she sat on the snout of the lion. Staring into its glassy eyes and wondering. She looked around, and decided to speak with the beast. 

“ Hi there. I don’t think I’ve ever properly introduced myself, I’m Arty Cross.” 

The lion did not respond. 

“ I was just wondering if it would be fine to wash you? I noticed your lenses got kinda dusty last fight and I wanted to help out.” 

Again. She was met by the gentle echo of the Den instead of a lion rumble or any other cat like noise. 

She shrugged and set to work. Deciding to make Conversation while she did. 

“ You know Allura chose us for each role right? And I wasn’t included in that offical lineup.” She made sure she had enough suds going before she started to wash off the dirt. 

“ But then, you picked me. Well you picked me and Shiro. And I don’t get it. Everyone else has one Paladin.” She was gentle with the brush, not wanting to hurt the lion. 

“ Pidge and green are small and smart, obviously. Hunk makes sense he’s great at supporting us. Keith is definitely ready to fight all the time so I understand his role. And lance is kinda comedic but also a constant. Shiro of course is what brought us all together in the first place.” 

She rinsed the left eye first, using the hose to do so. 

It had been odd, but she thought about the magic she had very, very recently discovered. 

It had been a accident during training. 

—-

Comet leapt onto her belly, making her gasp and shoot up out of bed. The little dog wiggled the stump of a tail he had. Expression cheerful and excited. 

Arty sighed and looked for her glasses. 

  
She had been thankful she had the foresight to go back to the Garrison and get the kids to pack bags. She had been able to grab vital supplies and a few changes of clothes. Not to mention Comets blanket and a phone charger.

Not that her phone worked out here. 

Allura had come to help the Paladins settle into their rooms, and had fallen in love with the small dog. It’s probably why out of the six, Allura enjoyed spending the most time with her. She smiled at the memory of her and Alluras arrangement.  


~~~~~~

“I completely understand why you brought such a lovely creature into space with you! He’s a perfect companion!” She said, lifting comet to her face and giggling when he licked her nose. 

Arty had smiled, and unpacked her bags. Allura was possibly a year younger than her and Shiro, or maybe their age she wasn’t sure. Either way, she was sure the princess longed for female companionship with how she loved to bring up nonsense with Arty. 

“ what’s that?” Allura asked with a tilt of her head at the book in Artys hand. 

Heat rushed to her face. 

“It’s um...a sketch book.” She replied, offering it out even though her anxiety spiked. 

Allura sat on her bed and looked over the cover. It was worn and full of stickers of fun cartoon mascots and characters. 

“Artemis Cross” the Princess read aloud, her fingers tracing over the embossing that Arty had done by hand. 

“What a heroic name that is.” Bright blue and pink Altean eyes met hers, grinning from ear to ear. “ May I look inside?” 

Arty nodded. Grabbing her art supplies had been easy, they were always packed neatly in what used to be a bento sachet, she managed to grab two even. 

She had a small shelf full of books back at the base, but traveling light and all. 

Arty unpacked her clothes and set them into the drawers and closet. There wasn’t much, but it would be fine for now. 

“ I think we still have a Art studio somewhere on the ship you know.” Allura commented, flipping through the pages as Comet came to sit with her. 

Arty turned quickly “ what? No way!” 

The princess nodded “ yes, it’s yours if you’d like! Only on one condition.” The Paladin raised a eyebrow 

“ You let me dress you and Comet in matching outfits from the Tailors quarters.”

“Total deal.” 

~~~~

It had worked out, her room now had glow in the dark paint on the ceiling making a personal galaxy for her. Usually, Allura didn’t knock or visit so early. But the knock at the door implied otherwise.    
  


The only shirt she had grabbed in way of night clothes was a oversized band T-shirt that made it to her mid thigh, soft sleeping shorts, and fuzzy socks. She opened the door, letting her hair come undone so it she could re-do it. Or maybe since it was more than less likely Allura, she could have easy access to braiding it. 

However, she was greeted with black and white plating and felt completely under prepared to greet the owner of said armor.

Shiro stood there, in his hands two mugs of something warm and spicy. He looked as if he’d been awake for a while and energized. 

“Good morning, Black Paladin.” He greeted, his smile big and warm and way too bright for a early time. 

“Oh! Um! Hi there...Black Paladin?” She returned, the greeting making him chuckle. 

“ can I come in? We haven’t been able to talk and I wanted to go over some things before the other got up.” 

“ oh, yeah come on in.” She tied her hair back up and moved so he could enter while she did. 

Shiro took in the room, and sat in her little stolen studio chair. Handing her the cup as she sat. 

“So, as leaders of Voltron I think we should work on connecting better.” 

Arty raised a eyebrow. 

“ Shiro we’re like, best friends.” 

“ I know, but I mean. We’ve been apart for what, seven years?” 

“ one” 

“ see! I don’t even know!” 

He lent back in the chair. Resting his elbow on the easel desk she also moved down here. Thankfully she hadn’t been painting so his armor stayed clear of anything. 

“I just. I think me and you should train together. Maybe figure out why the black lion picked us both.” 

She took a sip of the spicy drink. It was like someone had mixed chai and mocha coffee, and she found it delicious and soothing. 

“Why are you being weird though?” She asked, smiling over the brim of the cup when he flushed. 

“I...Can I be honest?” 

“Hmm....Alright I’ll allow it.” 

He smiled a bit, then sighed. 

“ I know I..mentioned Adam. And I didn’t thank you for what you did.” 

Artys heart fell a bit. But she sipped her drink again. Crossing her legs on her bunk and tried to avoid eye contact. 

“ Shiro, you don’t ever have to thank me. You would’ve done the same for me.” His grey eyes softened, the worry leaving them slowly. 

“I don’t want you to think that I’m ever ungrateful. And I’m sorry, if I made it seem like I wanted Adam there instead of you. We both made choices, and you did too...I’m just...I’m thankful. I have you here with me.” 

Another silent sip, and this time he joined her in it. 

“ well. I’m about to make you regret it.” She stood, and put her hand on her hip. Closing one eye and donning a rough voice. 

“ Now drop and give me twenty cadet!” 

Shiro snorted, and stood too. Saluting at her. 

“ Sir yes sir.” 

She kept the stupid gruff voice as she said “ The key to a good training session is getting your muscles ready! You need to wake them up and blah blah blah” 

Shiro, always willing to meet her at a challenge. Dropped and started to do pushups to Artys amusement. After handing her his cup and all. 

Then the castles alarm blared. Alluras voice coming over the intercom in a booming command to get to their lions right away. 

Arty rushed to put on any armor, Shiro looking for his helmet that somehow rolled away and thankfully not noticing her wiggling into the under suit before they both took off down the hall. Comet, thinking it a game, bolted after them. 

——

Alright so maybe the Princess was a bit too heavy handed with her ‘inspiration’, but she had the right spirit. 

As the other Paladins dragged themselves from the lions once the particle barrier shut down, Arty and Shiro hung back. 

“...How should we approach this?” He asked her, helping her down from the jaw of their lion. 

“Well. I can sense that maybe not everyone is in it to win it.” She replied, taking off her helmet and adjusting the braids that held her hair in two separate plaits. She had it pinned to the top of her head in sort of braided buns, which honestly looked like tiny horns the more she looked at them. 

“So bad cop good cop?” He offered. Looking up at the lions and thinking. 

“ maybe tough love?” 

—-

At Corans suggestion, the training deck was a wonderful idea. 

The goal of the exercise was simple. Protect eachother. 

Poor Pidge went down first, and Hunk after. 

Keith of course, Shield raised as the drones fired on them, bit back at lance who questioned his skill. 

Then it was just her and Shiro. 

“ Ooh looks like the black Paladins have made it the longest! Follow their lead, watch how they work together!” Coran said over the intercom. 

Artys reflexes were quick, while Shiro had brawn over her , she knew she had speed over him. The only downside was that there was a lot of him to protect. They were pressed back to back, and Arty got a wild idea. 

“ Shiro! We have two shields!” She said, activating her second shield and watching in awe as they combined together to make a bigger shield. 

“What? Great find!” He said back.

Then the damn drones lowered. 

Panic raced up her body as she and Shiro in unison lowered their shields down, disconnecting the two halves to protect from any of the drones being raised. Artys hands felt...steady for once. Like she had zero anxieties about the current situation 

And then something unthinkable happened. 

“ what?! Where’ve you gone?!” Corans panic shot over the microphone. 

Shiro looked up “ what? Coran we’re here.” 

However, the drones didn’t shoot at them anymore, just at whatever they could see. 

Which meant they didn’t see her or Shiro. 

Which meant...well. She didn’t know what it meant. 

The Paladins looked at eachother, they could see the other clear as day, then around them, the light seemed to catch on some sort of...invisible thread. Like a net had been cast over them in glass or something. 

And then they got hit by the drones, both being sucked into the floor and landing in a heap of limbs. 

—-

Looking back at the footage, Arty herself was beyond stunned. 

First, they looked pretty cool defending eachother. Second, they had literally disappeared in a flare of iridescent light. 

Allura looked at the screen and watched as the clip replayed. Her expression puzzled, but curious. 

The other Paladins looked at Arty as if she had grown another head. 

Shiro stood close, as if to prove he wasn’t worried about..whatever that was.

Pidge came to examine the footage too. And said in a hushed awed voice. 

“ it’s like...magic.” 

“ is that something all earthlings can do?” Allura questioned. “ Because I was going to say the same thing.” 

“Not really, some humans have before but those are just fairytales.” 

“ well, I believe they are more than that now.” Alluras gaze moved to Arty, and she smiled. 

Arty looked at her own hands. “ It’s...Maybe it’s something to do with the black lion? Maybe my exposure to it did something.” 

Shiro shook his head. “ If it did, then I would have the same thing right? And I don’t.” He flexed his hands, as if trying to do the same thing she’d done on the deck. 

“ well, how about you two sit this next one out? Since you did pass the first trial techincally, you’ve earned it!” Coran cheerful decided. 

The other Paladins protested, but a stern “ Gooooo” from her and Shiro got them to move on. 

—-

Flying was bad enough already. But nose diving blindly was worse. 

Arty didn’t have a fear of heigh- yes. Yes she did have a fear of heights. 

Again. It was her and Shiro alone, trying to feel what the lion felt. 

As if sensing her distress at being blind and falling, Shiro reached over and took her hand. It was tiny in his own, but he squeezed it anyway. 

The gesture set her at ease. And she sat back in her seat. Focusing on the sensation of the fall. 

She heard the frantic alarm of the consoles, heard the thrum of the core of their lion. 

Then, a sensation. It was a lot like shiros hand, comforting and pleasant. Maybe colder, but steady. She opened her eyes to find she was not in the cockpit of the lion, but in space. Stars glittered around her, and she looked a the same time to see shiro, then looked forward to see a reflection of them both. It melted into the eyes of their lion. Proud and compassionate. As if greeting them for the first time. She swore she felt a welcoming tone through the space they were in. 

She smiled, and dipped her head to the lion. 

Then her vision changed to bright sand tinged with yellow, and she and Shiro both moved to pilot the lion. And she let out a triumphant whoop at seeing them lift higher off the ground. She laughed as they soared, and she heard Shiro do the same. 

Somehow, between them and the lion, all three shared the sensation of joy. And they flew back to the castle unscathed. 

When they docked and got out of their lion, the sense of euphoria was still there and she found herself picked up into a sweeping hug, Shiros laugh bright and warm as he spun with her. 

“ We did it! You did it! I did it!” 

Arty laughed again, her own was a quick sound. Not at all as pleasant as shiros (at least she thought anyway). 

He set her down quickly and cleared his throat. Taking a step away. 

“ You...you did great.” 

She took her own step away. Heat rising to her face. 

“ You did too.” 

—-

The next task was easier. They had to clear their minds and focus on forming Voltron. 

Or it should’ve been. 

The sensation of the other Paladins in her own mind felt...unusual. But it had felt the same way as when they formed Voltron. They had linked together, with some privacy but this? No secrets at all. 

Of course, if she focused on the one thing she didn’t want them to see, they’d find it. Thankfully, Keith and Shiro kept their ‘digging’ surface level. Feeling her anxiety of not being able to support the others. Deeper down, the hurt her parents abandonment had caused. And deeper than that? A tangled mess of feelings and wants. 

Lance didn’t really even root, just skimmed. 

and hunk went deeper. 

He didn’t mean it in a malicious way. But his curiosity was his greatest asset. 

She did her best to deflect, and focused on feeling for the others. 

Keith’s link was molten hot, he was so angry at everything. Himself included. 

Lance was slippery, but there. His laid back personality hard to get a read on. 

She was surprised to find Shiros own link clicked with hers easily. So well infact, their link was almost impossible to separate. 

Pidge however, was having the worst of it. He threw his head piece down in anger. 

“ I’m...Im just tired.” He amended after a moment. 

Arty smiled softly. “ It’s ok. Come on, let’s take a break.”

Coran provided some much needed refreshments and snacks. And even though the they were supposed to be resting, Arty tried again to make something disappear. 

It didn’t work, but she did try. 

—-

The gladiator was a interesting foe, and it moved fast. 

Arty winced at how quickly hunk tried to face it alone, and Pidge over estimating his speed. Then lance getting tossed like a doll. 

She looked and Shiro and he nodded, they surged forward together. Her bow becoming a staff much like the machine’s. 

Then Shiro froze up, leaving her and Keith to block the staff of the gladiator. 

“ what’s wrong?! Shiro?!” Keith’s tone was laced with worry and strain. 

Arty looked back and saw his grey eyes unfocused, his body tense. But in the moment it took for her to look, the simulator kicked her and Keith’s ass and sent them right into the poor guy. 

Once again, the black Paladins with a hint of the red one, were tangled up in limbs. 

“ That was pathetic! These simulators are at the level of Altean children!” Allura stormed out onto the deck, furious and commanding. 

The Paladins shrank, and the training session was declared officially over.

—-

Lunch was something she was excited for. 

Handcuffs however? She loved Allura but she was ready to scream. 

Arty was seated between Shiro and hunk, meaning both her hands were occupied. Her fellow leader looked absolutely exhausted, and she couldn’t help but share that exhaustion. 

“Alright. Hunk, you and Shiro eat first.” She recommended. Letting her arms relax, Hunk happily taking her up on that offer and Shiro trying to persuade Allura to let them free. 

At least Keith and lance were finally on the same page. 

Arty snorted at the way Pidge defiantly said that Allura was not their princess. 

Which, earned the green Paladin a face full of green goo. 

“ GO LOOSE PIDGE!” Keith ordered, tossing a plate of food at the Princess, Coran easily deflecting and hitting them all with it. 

Arty stood up, moving Shiro and hunk as she did. 

“ Allura. I love you. BUT THIS IS WAR” 

She had the idea to toss another plate of food at the other girl, but hunk instead used his mouth like a Gatling gun. Firing onto the Altean side of the table. 

Then all hell broke loose.

Goo flew and smacked into every available surface, Pidge finally had a proper battle cry, she and Shiro took turns launching the square version of goo at Allura. 

When the dust (goo?) settled, the Paladins looked at eachother, then burst into laughter. 

——

It was a unexpected way to continue the day. While Allura, Keith, lance, hunk and coran went to visit the Arusian village, Shiro and Pidge went to check the Galra ship crash site. And Arty, feeling bad about washing just one lion, decided to wash them all. Not that they seemed to be very dirty, but if they were extensions of her friends, of her team, she wanted to give them the same kindness she would want to be given to her own lion. 

Comet did his own thing, padding around the den without direction until he curled up on her jacket. 

She talked and told the lions stories, and only stopped when the terminal in the den beeped. 

She scaled down the red lion, the last to be cleaned, and the closest to the console. She sort of hung off the rope she was using to keep herself tied to the lion, and let her fingers dance over the keyboard to see what it was alerting her to. 

It was a strange alien language, but thankfully she had become accustomed to every language being like that. Her cheat sheet she’d memorized of the altean language helped her get a grasp on what the commands were on the screen, and she prompted it to get past the home screen to the alert itself. 

To her horror, it was of something entering the atmosphere near the crash site of the last Galra ship. 

She commanded the terminal to bring up the communications link that would be widespread to the Paladins and Allura 

“ Hey! Something just entered the planet atmosphere! “ shiros voice rang out over the link too,

“We need backup! Something is coming our way! Where is everyone!?” 

Before she could answer, her cable was pulled tight and she was pulled up and back. 

Her tether was tied to the black lion, as it was the second biggest and right in the middle of the other alcoves the lions occupied. She swung and caught herself against the shoulder of the beast. Looking startled when it rumbled. 

Something odd shot through her body, like a windshield wiper sweeping her up from head to toe. The sensation was welcoming, but urgent. 

“ Is that you...?” She asked softly. The lions eyes glowed in response. 

Another urgent swipe came through her. Urging her to move again. 

Her helmet and armor were ground level next to comet, who’d woken and paced in a circle. 

She scaled down again, and quickly threw on her armor. 

“Comet! Head home!” She commanded, the dog well trained to take off and hide in her room until it was safe to come out again. Pidge and hunk had been working on a safe room for the pup, as they claimed he was the most important member of the team and needed to be protected with their lives. 

But for now, her room was his automatic home base. 

She turned to find the Black Lion had lowered its head to her. Opening is jaws to allow her in. 

She didn’t hesitate to walk forward, and head to the cockpit. 

Her seat was smaller than shiros to accommodate her size, and she slipped into it easily. However, she didn’t move to control the lion, as it suddenly blasted off and out of the hangar. 

“ WoAH!” She clung onto her seat, then laughed at the sensation of flying. It was still a odd one, but a lovely, bright and free feeling. 

“Alright let’s go get our guys” she said, grabbing the controls as the lion took lead. She hardly did a thing as they came upon Shiro and Pidge. Whatever that was about to crash on the planet wasn’t far from the two, and the lion scooped its head forward to shield them. 

Surprisingly, Arty realized she and the black lion were not alone. As the green lion was on the opposite side, providing cover as well. 

“ I think the lions just saved us” shiros awed voice came through the comm. 

“It is I! The great black lion and I say, get your behinds in these seats now!” It wasn’t a solid impression of what she assumed the black lions inner monologue was, but it did get a smile from the Paladins. 

Pidge then pointed out how the ship that landed was currently not being a ship, and opening. 

It was no surprise they rushed into their respective lions after. 

—-

Arty pulled up the feed of the creature they had to fight, Managing the other functions of the lion while her gaze flicked to the replay monitor, and then back to the fight. Though Shiro could pilot without her from his own terminal, it helped if someone could fly and the other could shoot. 

While the other lions who thankfully arrived in time, came and laid some cover fire, Arty was given precious seconds to examine the footage. 

“ Is it Galra?” Lance asked, as perceptive as she was. 

“It’s got a menacing purple color scheme I assume so” Keith snapped back, not angry, but probably just riled up from the scuffle and impending fight. 

“ Well then, there’s only way we’re going to beat it.” Shiro declared, looking to Arty as they raised their hands in sync. There were two levers between her and him, which activated their lion’s ability to form Voltron. In the past, it only worked if they pushed their respective levers together. 

In unison, they shouted to form Voltron, and the lions roared as their Paladins shouted a resounding ‘Yeah!’.

She swore that there was no better sensation than forming the legendary being. All six Paladins becoming synced up, she could soothe hunks anxiety, and steady Keith’s rage. Break pidges incoming dread, and focus lances boundless energy. In turn, they did the same. Keith giving her and Shiro his passion, Hunks selflessness pushing them on, Pidges insight guiding their choices, and of course, Lances heart steadying their minds. 

Within the black lion, She balanced Shiro well enough. She wasn’t sure how, but when they were the head it was like they shared thoughts. They hardly needed to speak directly to the other, because they already knew what the other needed. 

So far though, they couldn’t figure out how to fight the damn beast. 

They’d narrowly avoided the Arusian village, but as Keith pointed out, they were still being beat by the giant machine. 

The power kick had seemed promising, but it ended disastrously. 

Arty cringed when they summoned a shield instead of a laser, but moved on from it as they were sent flying back. 

“Everytime we focus on the creature, the orb gets us! And then we focus on the orb and the creature gets us back! “ hunk noted in that worried way. 

“Shiro, Arty? What’s our next move?” 

Arty turned to look at her partner and saw his face had gone pale. Eyes wide and shoulders tense. 

“ I’ll buy us some time to think of a work around.” She said, tone authoritative and stern. 

Calling up her magic was much different this time. She took a deep breath and gripped her controls. The black lion was her doorway into the rest of the lions, and it cleared the way for her easily. 

The first time she’s used it, she’d been panicked, scraping for every inch of her insides to reach out and do something. Now she coaxed out that sensation of power. 

Once when she was younger, she thought if she ate a hot popcorn kernel fast enough, it would pop in her stomach. Why that had seemed like a good idea she didn’t know, but the warmth of swallowing it was much like summoning her gift. Like warmth racing up her body and through her hands. 

She cloaked the entire team in invisible threads, hiding them from the beast for a moment. 

She looked back at Shiro, as long as she kept her hands steady, she could hold the cloaking. Her concern focused on the other Paladin for a moment.

When he spoke, it was distant. Like he wasn’t there. 

“That sound...I know this sound...” 

Arty kept her eyes on the beast, knowing Shiros focus was lost for the moment. “ Where? Where do you know it from?” She didn’t mean to sound so desperate, but the situation was way too tense for her to care. She could feel the tension of the magic she had growing tighter. 

“When I was a gladiator. I know...I know how to beat him!” She felt his focus come back, his voice take back its liveliness. 

Shiro explained the way he fought the monster before. And though it seemed like a solid plan, Arty recognized that they could knock it down, but they needed to keep it down. 

“What else do we have to offense with?” She asked, not so much her team, but the lions themselves. 

“What do you mean?” Lance asked back, Shiro answering quickly “ I had a sword before! Arty uncloak us lets bring him down first!” 

She felt her gift snap and the hide rip away from voltron, exposing them to the beast and leaving her feeling drained. But for now all she could do was grit her teeth and move forward. 

“Hold on! My lion might be able to do something about that!” Keith called out, though they were hit with the third strike of the orb before he could produce anything. The entire team felt a surge of anger from Keith, who screamed as he summoned forth the absolutely coolest thing Arty had seen. 

The sword sliced up and ended the beasts assault in one swift motion, earning Voltron its first victory. At least one that wasn’t by sheer luck and hardheadedness. 

She looked at Shiro, who in turn was grinning at her.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if it jumpy. Thank you for reading!


End file.
